NEW YORK – The Columbia women’s golf team is set to begin its spring slate of tournaments this Tuesday, March 11 at the Dr. Dennis Thompson Invitational hosted by the University of Hawai’I at the Kane’ohe Klipper Golf Course on Marine Corps Base Hawai’I in Kane’ohe, O’ahu.

The 16-team field will compete in 54 holes, beginning with 36 holes on Tuesday and the final 18 on Wednesday, March 12. Competition will begin with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. local time (2 p.m. EST) on the par 72, 6,099 yard course.

NC State enters the tournament as the highest ranked team at No. 19 in latest Golfstat ranking released on March 5. Columbia begins the year ranked No. 83 in the nation, the highest ranking in program history.

The Columbia lineup features a mix of veterans and youth. Seniors Michelle Piyapattra and Jane Dong provide the veteran experience with Piyapattra posting the lowest round average in the fall. Through four tournaments, Piyapattra recorded a 74.58 average with a low round of 70.

A trio of first-years, Jackie Chuyla, Rachel Shi and Camilla Vik, posted the next three lowest scoring averages. Chuyla played 12 rounds of competition averaging an 18-hole score of 76.25, while Shi and Vik competed in nine rounds, averaging scores of 76.89 and 77.44, respectively.

Lilette Mocio recorded the lowest round of any Lion this fall, shooting a 69 at the Nittany Lion Invitational. Out of four fall tournaments, Mocio finished in the top-15 three times.

Monique Ishikawa, a native of Kailua, Hawai’i, also shot her best round of the fall at the Nittany Lion Invitational, shooting a 72 in the final round to finish tied for 21st. Lisa Combs competed in six rounds in the fall averaging 79.83 strokes.